How to Make a Fabric Baby Book

I made this fabric book for my newest niece for Christmas. I think it's so sweet, if I do say so myself.

I was inspired by Amanda Blake Soule's adorable fabric book that she created for her daughter's first birthday, but I had a hard time finding any tutorials online. So I decided to figure it out as I went. I failed in taking good photos of the process, but hopefully a simple step-by-step will suffice. It really was not as hard as I thought it might be, but it was still a challenge since I am definitely a sewing novice. And a little time consuming. I have no idea how Amanda Blake Soule made one in a single night...but I guess I rarely work in a solid block of time, only snippets here and there.

Supplies
-Printable fabric (I purchased mine from Joann's with a coupon. It comes in a package of 8.5" x 11" sheets and I got 100% cotton)
-Quilt batting -I already had some. Depending on my how many pages your book is, I would say to get half a yard...a yard if you want extra.
-Fabric - this is a great project for using up scraps! All of my fabric was from my scrap stash.
-A printer/ computer
-A sewing machine
-Scissors
-Optional embellishments - ribbon, buttons, ric rac, etc.

1. Print photos and any desired text onto printable fabric following instructions on package. You stick it in the printer and print just like normal paper, allow to dry, and then rinse off the back, then dry. I used an assortment of 3 x 5 and 4 x 6 photos.

2. Cut out fabric and batting. I cut mine into 8 1/2" square pieces. Next time, I think I might make it slightly bigger. And I would also cut the back and the cover pieces slightly larger than the rest of the book (half an inch or so). You need two fabric squares and 1 batting square for each "page".

3. Cut out fabric photos/text

4. Iron all photos and fabric so that it's smooth.

5. Lay out all of your fabric and photos so that you can make sure you get the order right and figure out the layout of the book.

6. Sew the photos and text onto their designated fabric squares. I used a zigzag stitch for this.

7. Once you have sewn all the photos onto the fabric, you can begin constructing the pages. Carefully take two fabric pieces that will be the "front and back" of a page and lay them facing each other. (So the photos are on the inside!) Add one batting square on top of the outside of the two pages. Sew around the edge like you are sewing a pillow, leaving a 4-5 inch opening so that you can turn the pages to their right sides. Trim the corners, and then turn right-side out. Sew up the opening, and your page is done!

8. Sew all the pages as directed above.

9. To put the book together, I sewed all the pages together in three spots along the left side (like where a three-ring-binder would be). And then I sewed buttons to cover the spots.

And it's DONE!

More photos...

Making a Waldorf Doll: Details

This was my very first attempt at making a Waldorf Doll, and I spent several months in the process. Although, I am sure it could take much less time if one focused on it (and maybe weren't such a perfectionist. I re-did nearly everything twice, until I felt satisfied with it. ) I worked in 2-3 hour blocks, mostly in the evening after bedtime, but occasionally during the day when the littles were entertained with something.

I fell in love with several beautiful hand-crafted Waldorf dolls that I've seen from many talented crafters. I liked that they were soft, simple, made from natural material, had beautiful hair, and had simple faces for imaginative play. However, spending hundreds on a doll was just not an option for us. Not that they aren't worth every penny - I do not think any Waldorf doll makers are asking unreasonable amounts for the work and love that they put into their creations. But, just not financially feasible for us. In addition, I loved the idea of making one for each of my children - both for play, and as a special keepsake from their childhood.

So here are the details for those interested in crafting their own Waldorf doll. I've never made anything like this before - I just have basic sewing knowledge, so don't be afraid to give it a try! I used a mixture of machine sewing (using a zigzag stitch) and hand-sewing (I re-inforced everything that I hand sewed by stitching it twice). Other than a needle and thread, no special tools are needed. However, I would recommend purchasing a doll making needle (sold by A Child's Dream), which is not very expensive.

Total Cost: $40
Total Time: around 20-25 hours +/-

Sources
Tutorial: Doing Without: Waldorf Doll Tutorial
Hair Tutorial: Crafty Sheep: Waldorf Doll Hair Tutorial
Yarn for hair: Main Street Yarns and Fiber - Watkinsville, GA
Skin cloth: A Child's Dream Come True
Stockinette: A Child's Dream Come True
Cheek Color: A Child's Dream Come True
Thread: A Child's Dream Come True

And now, she needs some clothes....

Handmade Christmas Gifts Round-Up 2012

Now that Christmas has come and gone, and all the gifts have been opened, I am looking back at my goal of having a 100% handmade Christmas and feeling very fulfilled. While I did not accomplish it (is 100% really a realistic goal?! Haha!), I came very close. And I had so much fun this holiday season. Since I didn't share much on the blog before Christmas (you never know who might read it and I sure hate to ruin surprises!), I wanted to post my favorite projects from this year - to cherish and remember, and maybe to inspire you for a gift-giving occasion in the future!

Waldorf Doll
This was by far the most time consuming of my projects. I've been working on my first handmade Waldorf doll for months. A few hours here, a couple hours there. I got design input from Dmitri (it needed long hair and had to be a girl). I primarily followed this tutorial here. And I used this hair tutorial.  I added a belly button on my own! And I knitted the little scarf. Hopefully she will have some more clothes soon. = ) And she will definitely be getting her own blog post with more details.

Dmitri with his doll and matching scarfs (more fox scarf photos below)

Kool-aid Dyed Playsilks
I ordered silk scarves from Dharma Trading Co. for about $5 a piece, and then dyed them with koolaid. There are a lot of tutorials online. I looked at several, but they generally followed the same concepts. I boiled them on the stove since I don't have a microwave (some use microwaves, some use stoves). I was really happy with how they turned out, and I must admit, it was super fun trying different colors of koolaid. I want to make more...the littles seem to like them too!!

Maps of France Tile Coasters
I made the coasters for about $3 using tiles from Lowe's, cardstock, and Modge Podge. I printed the cardstock with antique maps of France that I found via google, cut them to size, applied them with modge podge, and then sealed them using 6 layers of modge podge (I applied a layer about every 20 minutes, and then allowed them to dry completely). Pretty simple, and I love how they turned out. I want a set for myself!

Fabric Baby Book
This gift is for my newest niece, and was very time-consuming, but very rewarding. The fabric book features photos of all of her family (at least, immediate family, grandparents, and cousins). I printed photos using printable cotton fabric, sewed them onto pages, and then sewed the pages together with cotton batting in the middle. It is about 8 x 8. I was inspired by Soule Mama. But I mostly winged it, since I couldn't find a good tutorial. I will probably post more details in a separate post.

Felt Fox Applique Scarf
 I knitted this little scarf (my first completed knitting project!) for Dmitri using 100% alpaca. I then cut out pieces from 100% wool felt, glued them together, and then sewed them onto the scarf by hand. I found a little fox ornament made of felt, and used it as inspiration for cutting the pieces.

It was very fulfilling making each of these gifts, and I am so glad that I challenged myself to a handmade Christmas. I am looking forward to trying new things next year (soap-making?!), and improving my knitting skills so that I can give more knitted gifts. But one thing is for sure- creating leaves me feeling incredibly happy, and I should live always creating, in some way or another.

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Bucket List: Update

Brown paper packages tied up with string....re-using materials around the house? Yes, indeed, my favorite thing.

 Dmitri's Gingerbread House

 We had a gingerbread house decorating party with Dmitri's friends. It was so cute and fun, and so worth the effort.

I hung a wreath - and made a burlap bow to update it a bit (for free using scraps I had).

We watched a Christmas movie: A Charlie Brown Christmas
I haven't seen it in years; and I thought it would be a classic choice. (Especially since Dmitri really enjoyed the Athens Christmas parade that was Charlie Brown-themed.) Uh, let me just say, I don't think that was intended for children. I'm not really sure what age-range it was created for, but I will definitely choose something else next time! I would have enjoyed it if I had watched it by myself. Not so much with a three-year-old. What are your favorite holiday movies for watching with little ones?

I'll post our Christmas photo & letter at the beginning of next week, so I don't ruin it for anyone receiving a hard copy. ; )

Caroline’s Holiday Bucket List

-Make homemade hot cocoa (and it was so easy and delicious, we have made it twice this week!)

-Brown paper packages tied up with string (I think I might try reusing paper grocery bags).

-Make a felt ball garland

-Watch a Christmas movie with the family

-Make a snowman pizza (Damon will love picking the olives off. His favorite!)

-Apple. Cider.

-Hang a star in the window

-Make a Christmas card book for the kids to look through aswe receive cards

-Mail Christmas cards to friends and family

-Hang a holiday wreath

-See Christmas lights!

-Make Gingerbread Houses (I think I'm going to try Rice Crispy Treat houses with my favorite peanut butter & brown rice syrup recipe)

-Sugar cookies. A Christmas tradition. (I use this recipe).

-Paint snowflake art

-Create snow globes with Dmitri (there are a million tutorials on Pinterest)

-Put the very first present under the tree the day we get our Christmas tree  (The book: Mr. Willoughby’s Christmas Tree. That way, we can read it all holiday season long. And it's such a cute book.)

-Hang stockings by the fireplace

-New Christmas pajamas and a special Christmas book: our Christmas Eve tradition

-Cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning!

Are you in the full holiday swing?! I still have a few activities I would like to do, but thus far, we are really enjoying this season. Having little ones has only increased my love of Christmas, if that's possible. And I cannot wait to see their faces on Christmas morning.

I'm still scrambling to finish a couple handmade projects. Do I still have time to knit a hat?!
What about you? Are you done with your shopping/gift-making?

Mama Elf's Workshop

Kool-aid dyed playsilks. Tutorial.

 Felt in progress- cut and ready for assembly for a scarf applique and play food.

The pieces for a fabric book, to be ironed. Inspired by.

Ready to sew.

Compiling photos for some photo projects, ordering prints, listening to a Christmas station on Pandora, thinking about wrapping ideas, waiting on a couple of Amazon orders, browsing stockings on eBay, to write or not to write a Christmas letter,  all currently going on in Mama Elf's workshop. A busy elf, is a happy elf- at least in this house.

Are you busy with holiday crafting? I must say, I'm so excited about my attempts at a handmade holiday.

Christmas in July: Handmade Gifts For Women that Quite a few Men Might Like Too

I'm back with another Christmas in July segment, and this time, it's a round up of gifts for women. I am sure plenty of men would like a few of these ideas too. It's not like only women use coasters or coffee mugs or wash cloths. But I digress, for the sake of simplicity this is titled Gifts for Women.

Handmade Gift Ideas for Women that Quite a few Men Might Like Too.

1. Mosaic Garden Stepping Stones
Estimated Time: 1-2 hours plus 2 days curing time
Costs: $10 +/-

Skills: Hammering & Common Sense Safety Skills with concrete a

What a cool gift for a gardener, or really anyone with a yard, big or small! I would imagine older children would enjoy banging the plates and helping arrange the mosaic. Definitely not a young-child friendly project, however.



 2. Tree Branch Coasters
Estimated Time: 2 hours plus drying time
Costs: $5 or less

Skills: Hand Saw and putting sealant on

Rustic, beautiful, hiding-in-your-yard almost free coasters? Yes, please.


 3. Gorgeous Necklace Holder
Estimated Time: 1-3 hours
Costs: $5-$10

Skills: Simple drilling

Who wouldn't love this necklace holder, which could double for handbags, scarves, sweaters, etc. Hobby Lobby as beautiful, inexpensive knobs too.

 4. Spa Day Face Cloths
Estimated Time: Depends on your knitting skills
Costs: $3-$10

Skills: Knitting

There is something incredibly special about a hand-knitted wash cloth or dish cloth. Once you've used one, you'll never want to use anything else ever again.

5. Dip Dyed Table Runner
Estimated Time: 1 hour plus some wait time
Costs:$5-$15
Skills: None

This project brings back memories of tie-dying as a child. Fun to do, and fun to give. And the color possibilities are endless.

6. Mason Jar Soap Dispenser 
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Costs: $10-$12

Skills: Drilling

I love these ubiquitous mason jar soap dispensers. They are a little trendy, but in such a classic way.

7. Chevron Mug
Estimated Time: 2 hours
Costs: $7

Skills: A little drawing

Endless possibilities for drawing on coffee mugs. The chevron/herringbone look is rather pleasing. A lovely gift for a coffee drinker. I would smile even bigger every morning with this mug caressing my favorite brew.

8. Paint chip Calender
Estimated Time: 1 hour or less.
Costs: $1-$5

Skills: Clandestine Paint Chip Swiping skills. Just kidding.

No tutorial for this one. But I do not think it's necessary. A dry-erase calender made out of a poster frame and paint chips. And everyone can use a calender.

 9. Bird Nest Necklace
Estimated Time: 2 hours
Costs: $8 +/- (If you made several, they would be a lot less expensive per piece!)

Skills: Simple jewelry making

I'm not all that big on novice, handmade jewelry. But these are just so cute, and beautiful! And they don't look too, handmade, in a bad way.

Are you getting on it with handmade gifts? Right now, I'm trying to get a little organized and gather supplies. And knitting, knitting, knitting. Slowly.

Christmas in July: All Children Are on My Nice List

We had a lovely fourth of July holiday...ate a delicious brunch, played in the river, shared fireworks with the littles for the first time, had a picnic, visited with family, and my brother got engaged!

And now a continuation of Christmas in July.

Today is "Gifts for Babies and beyond..."

I think that children's excitement around the holidays makes Christmas all the more magical and fun. And there are so many wonderful tutorials and ideas for children's gifts. A lot of them involve sewing, but I tried to work a few no-sew tutorials in there too- and I have those marked. Between my two little ones, and my four nieces and nephews (all 3 and under) a lot of these are on my list!

1. Knit Baby Bonnet
Estimated Time: I won't begin to guess- it depends on how fast of a knitter you are.
Costs: $10 +/- depending on yarn choice
Skills: Knitting
I love this precious baby bonnet. So classic, simple, and practical. I love that it ties so that little ones can't pull it off. What a cute tutorial from Purl Bee.

2. Cloth Baby Wipes

Estimated Time: 15 minutes or less
Costs: $5
Skills: None
Super easy and simple gift. Cloth wipes are a great accessory for cloth-diapering parents. And those that don't might appreciate this for wash-cloths!


3. Stuffed Giraffe

Estimated Time: 2-3 hours
Costs: $5
Skills: Sewing
This stuffed giraffe, and many of the other tutorials at The Crafty Crow, are so neat. This tutorial is a little bit of a challenge, but I think it's such a cute little gift!

4. Monogram Crinkle Toy

Estimated Time: 1 hour
Costs: $5-$10
Skills: Simple sewing
Both of my kids have absolutely loved crinkle toys. This is a great tutorial for a toy in the shape of baby's initial!

5. Peekaboo Baby Bonnet

Estimated Time: 3+ hours
Costs: $10
Skills: Sewing
This bonnet is adorable. The tutorial also shows how to make one with simple piping instead of ruffles. And what can I say, I just adore bonnets and not-so-secretly want one for myself.

6. Fabric Balls

Estimated Time: 1 hour
Costs: $5 (or use fabric scraps!)
Skills: Sewing
I love these soft balls. My boys love throwing things, and it might as well be something squishy! Another fun idea would be to throw some bells in them and make them rattle.

7. Flower Headband 

Estimated Time: 1 hour
Costs: $5
Skills: Gluing
What a cute gift for a baby girl. I just love photos of sweet little girls in giant flower headbands! ; ) And Sewing in No Man's Land has absolutely amazing headbands and clothes. Maybe it will inspire you to make an entire outfit! Seriously love this site (and it totally makes me want to have a little girl, even more!)

8. Adorable No-Sew Applique Onesies

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Costs: $3-$8
Skills: Ironing
This site doesn't have a free tutorial, but I thought it was a great collection of ideas for all the different applique onesies you could make. There is a free tutorial for a similar look, here. I really love these little onesies.

1. A Waldorf Doll

Estimated Time: 10+ hours
Costs: $20-$100+
Skills: Sewing
This is what I am making Dmitri & Damon for this Christmas. I love this tutorial that breaks down how to make Waldorf Dolls from recycled materials. I'm halfway through my first doll and it is so much fun to make (a good thing, too, since they are pretty time-consuming.) The costs can vary greatly based on how much you spend on your supplies. If you re-use everything, it could be pretty inexpensive. But if you invest is a good quality yarn, etc. it can be more expensive. A Child's Dream is where I ordered my "skin" fabric from. For more Waldorf doll inspiration, I am in love with the dolls made by Tumbleberry Toys. I could spend hours looking through her amazing dolls.

2. Homemade Play Dough

Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Costs: $5 or less
Skills: None
What child doesn't love playdough - and homemade playdough? Such a fun gift. And I like easy.

3. Hobby Horse

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Costs: $5
Skills: None
A handmade take on the classic riding hobby horse. I cannot tell you how cute I think this is. What a great idea! And I'm sure children of many different ages would enjoy it.

4. Felt Board

Estimated Time: 2-5 hours
Costs: $5-$20
Skills: None/Sewing
A felt board can be as simple or as detailed as you'd like, but is fun no matter what! Busy Budgeting Mama has a cute ice cream felt board too. For a "high-quality" board, use 100% wool felt.

5. Play Kitchen

Estimated Time: 5-20 hours
Costs: varies
Skills: Some Power tools are necessary
There is a rather large collection of toy kitchen ideas online that vary from re-making a TV cabinet to building it from scratch. I've linked to Ana White's plans for all kinds of toy kitchen pieces. But if you have a TV cabinet or night stand, look around and you'll find all kinds of cool tutorials. What I love about play kitchens is that children can enjoy them for years and years.

6. Memory Game 

Estimated Time: 1-3 hours
Costs: $5
Skills: Sewing
I love the idea of using up some of my accumulating fabric scraps on this memory game made out of fabric. What a cute idea for many different ages!

7. Molded Crayons

Estimated Time: 1 hour
Costs: $2
Skills: None
A cute way to change up "crayons." I can imagine my boys loving to "drive" these.

8. Felt Food

Estimated Time: 1-4 hours
Costs: $5-$15
Skills: Sewing
Play food made out of felt is a great accessory to a kitchen, or could stand on it's own. The "build your own pizza" idea is probably one of my absolute favorites!

Christmas in July: The Ultimate Round-Up of Handmade Gifts

Every year around October, I begin thinking about all of the wonderful gifts I would like to make for friends and family for the holidays. But, every year, I get swept up into the busyness of the holidays, traveling, preparing for Thanksgiving, setting up the Christmas tree, and then, before I know it, December is upon me. And handmade gifts are an elusive fantasy.

I think that a handmade gift can have a lot more meaning than a store-bought one. And I always put a lot of love when I craft something myself. There are numerous other reasons for making handmade gifts, like knowing where your gifts are sourced and by whom,  giving people thoughtful gifts, as opposed to something you might buy on a whim. And perhaps when you make something yourself, you are less likely to give something that they won't need or use, since you are putting more effort and thought into it.

Making a handmade gift brings the joy of giving back into Christmas that is often stolen by consumerism, marketing, and the pressure to buy, buy, buy.

So this year, since one of my goals is to have a 100% homemade Christmas, instead of waiting until the coolness of fall to remind me of the coming Christmas, I have decided to start just a little bit earlier. I have put together a series, highlighting many of my favorite DIY gift ideas that would make wonderful Christmas gifts. I have handpicked items that I would want to receive myself, plan to make for someone I know, or something that I think is really beautiful. And I tried to avoid anything that might be kitsch-y or screams "homemade Christmas" in a less than appealing way. Here is the schedule for the week:

Today: Christmas DIYs
Also see:
~All Children are on my Nice List: Gifts for Babies and Beyond
~Gifts for Women (That Quite a Few Men Might Like Too!)

1. Fabric gift bags

Estimated Time: 1 hour (depending on how many you make...but a pretty quick project!)
Costs: $10 +/- depending on fabric choice
Skills: Basic Sewing
These fabric gift bags from Amanda Blake Soule are at the very top of my to make list. I think they are pretty brilliant. By making a set of bags, you could never have to buy (and waste) wrapping paper for a very long time. Just re-use them year, after year. The options are endless as far as fabrics that you use, and as a bonus, all of your gifts will coordinate! What a lovely way to give a gift too- like a gift, wrapped in a gift!
2. Glass ball ornaments

 Estimated Time: 30 minutes or less
Costs: $5 +/-
Skills: None
These glass balls are so incredibly beautiful that it might be hard to give them away. And they can be re-created with a little bit of paint and clear ornaments from the craft store.

3. Felt Garland

 Estimated Time: 1 hour
Costs: $10-$15
Skills: None
One of my favorite parts about this felt ball garland is that it would be a wonderful craft to do with children of all ages. I cannot wait to try it with my little ones. Other colors would be fun for other holidays or all year long too.
4. Pottery Barn Inspired Advent Calender # 1

Estimated Time: 3-4 hours
Costs: $10
Skills: Spray-painting
Shameless self-promotion with my re-creation of a Pottery Barn advent calender. But, I just loved this project so much, and it's been such fun every year, I couldn't leave it out.
5. Pottery Barn Inspired Advent Calender # 2

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Costs: $6-$15
Skills: Basic building skills with a miter saw or the ingenuity to avoid power tools altogether..
This DIY advent calender might be a little easier, and is still incredibly cute. Instead of building a frame for it, maybe consider using a canvas from a craft store and cover it in fabric.

6. Wooden Noel 

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Costs: around $10
Skills: Basic Painting and hot glueing
What a simple and beautiful recreation of the PB "Noel" sign. This would be gorgeous on a mantel or on the wall.

7. No-Sew Ruffled Christmas Tree Skirt 

Estimated Time: 2 hours
Costs: $20 + depending on fabric costs.
Skills: Gluing
 There are approximately one million tree skirt tutorials. Just check pinterest. I happen to really like this ruffle one. And it's pretty awesome that no sewing is involved.

8. Stocking and Sweater Pillow

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Costs: $20 for two pillows
Skills: Sewing
What a cute pillow. This also reminds me of how cute sweater stockings are. And how nice it is to re-purpose items from Goodwill.
9. Snowflake Curtain
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Costs: $3-$5
Skills: Cutting with scissors, Printing on a printer
So this DIY from Layla Palmer is a little crafty, but still pretty. I thought it would be super fun for older kids, and it looks pretty freaking cute. And I'd be tempted to leave it up all winter wonderland long.

10. Sweater Stocking

Estimated Time: 2 hours
Costs: $6-$15
Skills: Sewing
I couldn't resist. Sweater stockings. I just love re-using old items. Here is a pattern for $6. Sometimes, I like to try to wing it. But if you want a well-done, finished look, and are a novice sewer like me, go for the pattern.

11. Burlap Elf Stocking
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Costs: $3 +/-
Skills: Simple Sewing
Another stocking option: burlap! These are so classic and whimsical. And very inexpensive too.

Happy elfing. Have you started thinking about the holidays yet? My family definitely makes fun of me for planning ahead. Now, I feel justified in my excuse. It's hit 110 degrees here the last two days, I can't help but dream of Christmas.